Maharashtra CM asks citizens to "unitedly" combat drought, inflation, swine flu

Mumbai, Aug 15(ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Saturday urged fellow citizens of the state to cooperate with the Government to combat drought inflation and swine flu.

"We should work unitedly to combat problems like drought, inflation and swine flu facing the state, unitedly," Chavan said in his message on the occasion of the country's 63rd Independence Day.

Chavan unfurled the tricolour at Mantralaya, at a function attended by several ministers of his Cabinet and senior officials, including Chief Secretary Johny Joseph and senior Army, Navy and Air Force officers in Mumbai.

The Maharashtra Government has sought a Rs 11,000 crore special financial package form the Centre to fight drought across the state, mainly in the paddy belt.

The Government has already declared a drought-like situation in 157 sub-districts of the state where rainfall has been scanty.

Swine flu has claimed 26 lives so far with the maximum number of cases reported from Maharashtra.

The opposition parties have staged protests against the rising prices of essential commodities in the state and warned that they would continue with their protests if prices of essential commodities are not brought down. (ANI)